


The Elf on the Winchester's Shelf

by DeansDevilishAngel



Series: 12 Days of Wincestmas - 2016 [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Christmas Fluff, Elf on the Shelf, M/M, Mutual Pining, visual aid included
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 11:50:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9322325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeansDevilishAngel/pseuds/DeansDevilishAngel
Summary: This part is fluff but it is leading up to something else.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blackrose_17](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackrose_17/gifts).



> A submission to sweet-sammy-kisses for the 12 Days of Wincestmas challenge on tumblr. ~DeansDevilishAngel

_**Lebanon, KS - December 10th** _

Dean is the first to notice it.

He quickly scans the room, his experienced eyes skipping nothing but finding nothing amiss. He quietly tours the rest of the bunker looking for evidence that someone or something has gained access but everything appears to be as it should. With a final stop in the war room to assure himself that the warding is indeed active Dean returns to the library.

He walks straight to the shelf, picks it up and looks it over carefully, running his big, strong, capable hands all over the ‘toy’ not really sure what he is expecting to find but knowing that he will recognize something unnatural or out of place if he finds it. Eventually he pulls a silver pocket knife from his pocket and presses the blade to the Elf’s ‘face’. That is followed by a spray of holy water and a large dash of salt - both thrown at its face. Next the elf is subjected to being photographed/filmed by Dean’s phone camera and finally having an exorcism recited at it. Satisfied that the red clad, goggle wearing, toy poses no supernatural threat he leaves it lying askew on the shelf while he satisfies his curiosity about it.

A quick google search explains what it is and what the purpose of an ‘Elf On the Shelf’ is. He also find the rules and conditions inherent with having one in your home. Having ascertained that the toy is ‘clean’ Dean has to assume that it was brought into the bunker purposely. By someone who lives there. And since it isn’t him logic says it must be Sam. He can’t image why Sam would do such a thing but, with an indulgent smile on his face (he’s always been willing to do things just because they make Sam happy), he returns to the elf and sits it up neatly. It’s as he is turning to step away that he recalls one of the rules he read. The elf’s magic is activated by giving it a name. He picks up a pen and writes on the bottom of it’s shoe. With a mischievous grin on his face he tosses out ‘Guess I’ll be seeing ya around Clyde’. He doesn’t care if Sam has already named the thing, the big lug should have told him about it before just setting it out - especially if he wanted the right to name it himself.

By contrast Sam has probably been in the library for over two hours before he notices the elf. It’s not that he’s gone lax or soft or anything like that. It’s more that he trusts in the security the bunker and it’s extensive warding not to mention Dean’s constant vigilance provide to keep things out. When he does notice it he approaches it quickly and proceeds to perform the same careful examination that his brother had earlier that morning. That is right up until he recognizes the writing on the bottom of the elf’s shoe as Dean’s.

The name written there signifies to him that Dean has vetted the item and deemed it safe enough to be in the bunker. He lets go of any further need to test it as he places the toy back on the shelf. He’s accepted that Dean enjoys Christmas more than he does but this is a little bit much in his opinion. Unlike Dean he doesn’t require an internet search to know what the elf is or it’s purpose. He just doesn’t understand what Dean’s purpose is in bringing the elf into their home. With a shake of his head he returns to his research swearing that sometimes it seems more like Dean is under the age of ten instead of nearing forty. But fine if it will make Dean happy he’ll play along. He just wishes that Dean had picked a better name.

For all that the Winchesters are different they share a lot of traits. One of them is stubbornness. It manifests this time in the way neither brother will acknowledge the elf’s existence. At least not in the presence of the the other. They pointedly ignore it no matter where it shows up. The war room; the library, the kitchen; the breakfast bar; the garage; the bathroom; their bedrooms. The elf shows up all over the bunker for ten days with neither brother commenting on it; (though Sam does almost break the first time he finds it his room; he gets real nervous when Dean is his room without him being present also). Each is waiting for the other to break and reveal why they thought it needed to be around.

The moments when they find themselves alone with the elf is another story though.

Dean makes snarky comments and jokes. Things like ‘ _Close your eyes elf-boy. If you don’t actually see me do you can’t count it as bad behavior right?_ ’ or wishing for world peace or a gazillion dollars or a date with Daisy Duke (the Bach version) none of which are really sincere wishes. But there are a few times when his words have real feeling and meaning behind them. They mostly revolve around Sam. Wishing to know what Sam wants or needs to be, if not happy, then at least content or satisfied with his life. Or hoping that someday, somehow Sam will eventually get to have whatever it is.

Sam’s conversations with the elf probably give a little less away as they mainly consist of questions. Mostly ‘ _What’s going with Dean?_ ’; ‘ _If Dean wants to know what’s on my Christmas list why can’t he just ask?_ ’ or ‘ _When/Why did Dean bring you in here?_ ’. There is one ‘ _It doesn’t matter how good I try to be, you wouldn’t give me what I want even if did ask for it_ ’. The comment is directed at both the persona the elf is supposed to represent and the person Sam believes to be responsible for the elf’s presence.

On the eleventh day after the elf first appears, it disappears.

Sam, who has taken to giving every room a quick but through visual once over upon entry _(after exiting the shower to find the elf sitting on the counter by one of the sinks)_ , realizes it first. It’s not on the shelf in the library, the last place Sam had seen it the night before, or any of the other four rooms Sam enters in the next hour _(not that Sam will admit he is looking for it)_.  It’s still a few days before Christmas and he’s torn between satisfaction at not giving into Dean’s childish game by asking about it and sadness at the thought that he might have ruined something fun and playful that Dean is trying to do for them.

It isn’t that Dean doesn’t notice the elf is missing just as quickly, he’s in the habit of checking out every room he enters every time he enters it so he knows when it’s not there, it’s more that he thinks it’s just in another room at the moment and that he’ll eventually catch up to where ever Sam put it. It’s well after dinner time when it hits him that the he hasn’t seen Clyde all day though he’s been all over the bunker throughout the day. It’s unusual because he normally sees the elf three or four times in the course of a day.  He figures it means the game is over. As he’s getting ready for bed he wonders if it means that the elf had served whatever purpose Sam had intended it to or if Sam had just gotten tired of Dean ignoring it. The latter makes Dean smirk a little, Sam should know better than to try to prank him. But as he is drifting off into sleep his final sleepy thought is the hope that if Sam was trying to accomplish something with it, that he is happy with the results.  He won’t admit, even to himself, that he’s gonna miss seeing the elf’s smiling face just a little.

 

TBC…

* * *


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second part of the Elf story.

**Lebanon, KS - December 25th**

Though neither Winchester actually forgets about the elf it’s Christmas Day before he gets mentioned for the first time. There aren’t many presents under the tree. It’s never been about the gifts - though there are a couple of gifts from each of them to the other as well as packages from Castiel, Mrs. Tran, Donna and Jody.

In typical Dean fashion he rushes through opening his gifts spending only a minute appreciating each one before moving to the next. So it’s no surprise that he gets bored watching Sam thoroughly inspect his new iPod or the centuries old Sumerian tome from Cass and wanders off to make them some brunch. At the bottom of his small pile of gifts Sam finds one addressed to both of them with the “from” on the tag left blank. Upon opening it he finds a note.

> _Sam & Dean, You both are hard to read but despite your being less than forthcoming your greatest wishes were revealed to me during my stay. However, what you both most desire isn’t something that is in Santa’s power to give. If **one** of you will just be brave enough to ask you’ll **both** find everything you could want. ~Gunnhildur, aka Clyde - the Elf on your Shelf_

Sam lifts the tissue under the note and what he finds makes him blush. He jams the lid back on the box as something that could be shame or embarrassment or maybe arousal flashes across his body. His mind starts racing, trying to figure what is going on. Half of him hopes that it’s Dean, that it’s just a stupid, cruel, crude joke. But the other half of him, the part that knows that isn’t his brother’s handwriting, is on the verge of panic because it means someone knows and Dean could find out about how Sam feels, what Sam wants them to be.

When Dean returns carrying a tray with coffee, pancakes and syrup Sam is still sitting at the table staring at the mystery gift. He’s had a few minutes to think about what he should do next. He can keep the box and it’s contents to himself; just stay silent - like he has been doing for years. Or he can share the gift with Dean, take the lid off (literally and figuratively) and see where it leads them. He knows there’s a chance that it is a joke, that it is the culmination of Dean’s Elf on the Shelf game. But something tells him it’s unlikely; Dean wouldn’t have addressed the note to both of them.

They eat mostly in silence. Sam can’t let go of the thought that this could be the opening he never thought he’d get to discuss the feelings he’s had for years. This could give him everything he wants - or cost him everything he has. It’s a huge risk. But that’s nothing new for him -them; they risk their lives on every case. Maybe it’s time to risk something more important.

His heart.

It’s not until after they’ve finished eating, cleared away the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen that Sam actually finds the courage and the opening to say something.

Dean is gathering up his gifts to take to his room when Sam says, as he is pushing the box across the table, that there one gift Dean hasn’t opened yet.

He holds his breath as Dean lifts the lid and removes the note. He doesn’t miss the brief widening of surprise in Dean’s eyes as he sees the contents of the box but it would take a blind man to not see the smirk that spreads across his face a second later.

Dean lifts questioning eyes to Sam _“Umm, how is this for the both of us?”_ His eyes flash back to the box _“Are we supposed to split it? Condoms for me? Lube for you …and your hand?”_ He looks back at Sam with laughter this time. _“Someone really knows us. Who’s it from anyways?”_  


Sam shoots him a bitchface for the insult/joke but nods his head to indicate that Dean should read the note. He refuses to turn back now despite the dread rolling in the pit of his stomach.

When Dean speaks again all the amusement is gone from his voice. Instead Sam can hear anger and what is possibly a tinge of hurt. _“Ha ha ha. Very funny Sam. Is this what your stupid little elf game was all about? Setting up some new way to insult and ridicule me?”_ He tosses the box back on the table angrily and heads for the door.

Thankfully Sam is between Dean and his escape so he is able to stop Dean from leaving by stepping around the table and getting between Dean and the exit. He puts his hand on Dean’s chest to stop him even as he shakes his head and says _“No. I wouldn’t do something like that Dean. I didn’t have anything to do with Clyde being here. I actually thought it was you until about an hour or so ago.”_

Dean is actually surprised _“Me? Why would I do something like that? I didn’t know anything about that silly made up tradition until he showed up here.”_ After a brief pause Dean continues _“But if I didn’t do it and you didn’t do it, how do you think Clyde got in here?”_

_“Maybe it’s not as ‘made-up’ as we’ve been led to believe. It’d be far from the first time we’ve run into something everyone thought was made up but actually wasn’t.”_ Sam pauses to make sure he has Dean’s attention _“But that’s not actually what I wanna talk about right now.”_

Dean grins at him _“Wait, wait, wait. We find out that Santa is real. Like really, really real and you don’t think that’s worthy of discussion? What should we be talking about then? The weather? The awesome playlist that I downloaded onto your new iPod? Or how abou…”_

Sam shuts Dean up by pressing a finger over his mouth. _“Shut up Jerk.”_ With a deep breath and nod towards the note on the table he places his heart in Dean’s hands _“How about we talk about that? Is Gunnhildur right? Do you really feel about me the way I feel about about you?”_

Dean’s response is to nod his head and pull Sam in for a long, lingering, deep kiss. When they finally pull apart Dean say _“Yea. Yea, I guess I do. But it’s not something I wanna talk about.”_ He wipes the sadness from Sam’s face and eyes with _“You know I’m no good with words, Sammy. I’m a man of action; so if you wanna come to my room with me, I’d be happy to spend the rest of the day showing you how I feel.”_   

Sam nods and they kiss again before starting to make their way towards Dean’s room. At the door Dean turns around and hurries back to the table, picks up the box from Clyde and returns to Sam’s side saying _“Got a feeling we’re gonna need these.”_


End file.
